Vehicle lifting appliance



Aug. 19, 1930. A. WEAVER l VEHICLE LIFTING AIPLIANCE 'Filed sept. 12, 1929 4 sneetsheef. 1

#fawn my l Hmm-lill Aug. 19, 1930.A l. A. WEAVER VEHICLE LIFTING APPLIANCE Filed Sept. l2. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet Aug. 19, 1930. l. A. WEAVER VEHICLE LIFTING APLIANCE Filed Sept. 12. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 T9, 1930. l. A. wAvER VEHICLE LIFTNG APPLIANCE Filed Sept. 12, 1,929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented` Aug.V 19, 1930 UNITED STATES t PATENT ori-ICE IRA ,'WEAVER, 0F SPRINGrIE'IElLD,r ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 WEAVER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION' OF ILLINOIS VEHICLE. LIFTING APPLIANCE Application tiled September 12, 1929. Serial No. 392,103.

My invention-pertains to appliances for raising or elevating bodies, such as, auto-A mobiles, forinspection or the performance of service workthereon, and concerns more especially, thoughnot -restrictedly, certain features offstruetural and-operating advantage in hydraulic and similar hoists.

One object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character equipped with at least semi-automatic means lfor clamping the vehicle to thelifting-rails, `so that it will be held securely while in elevated position and f without danger of falling oif, especially sidewise, as it is desirable to make the appliance rather narrow. y i f A further aim ofthe invention 1s to provide adjustable means for lifting the vehicle by the Wheels, if so desired, at the same time giv- 1 ing'free access to the brake connections, drainage plugs, etc. t

'1 -Another purpose of the invention is to supe a suitable `and convenient hoisting structure in lwhich the lifting plunger and the clampingV mechanismspecitied may be easily removed from the casing that accommodates and supports them, so that it can-be inserted and used'in a casing on the outside of the building in warm lWeather and transferred to another casing inside/'of the building for use during the winter months, or it can be merely stored inside during the colder period, if preferred.

To make the'invention clear to those acquainted with this art, a present, preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forining a part of this specification, and to which reference should be had in connection with the following description, like reference numerals being employed to designate the same structural elements throughout the several views.

In these drawings Figure 1 is a. plan view of the hoist;

Figure 2 isa vertical cross-section on an enlarged scale on lineI 2 2 of Figure 6;

vFigure 7 is an enlarged cross-section on line 7.-7 of Figure 61;,

Figure '8 is a cross-section on an increased scale 011 line8-8 of Figure 6; and

a Figure 9 is an end elevation as indicated by the arrow 9 in Figure 6'.

Referring to. these drawings, and particularly to Figure 2 thereof, it will be observed that an upright casing or cylinder 11 is sunk into the ground with its upper end practically fiush with the surface of the ground or fioor, the lower end of such hollow element being closed. y

Vertically-spaced guide-bearings 13 and 14 for the hollow plunger l5 are desirably lined with brass, or other suitable metal, the upper ring bearing 13 having a top, outstanding flange ofslightly larger diameter seated on a ledge on the inside of the casing and held in place by a split snap ring 1G occupying a groove or channel on the inside of the casing, another ring 17 iittin g inside of such lockbeingheld in place by the usual Ipackingj gland 19 held on the top of the cylinder by the customary screws 21, 21.

r1`he lower bearing-ring 14 is positioned by indentations 20 in casing 11 and the two bearing rings 13 and 14 are connected together by a plurality of bars 30 welded or otherwise secured to both, so that the bearing structure constitutes a unit.

The oil or other suitable liquid for operating the hoist is admitted and discharged through a valve-controlled pipe Q3 fitted with a suppleinentary-Valve 24 ofy known structure which allows free entrance of the liquid therethrough while the hoist and load is being elevated but which forms a restriction on the discharged liquid, whereby to lower the load at a substantially predetermined speed regardless of the weight of the load.

Plunger 15 has the web of an inverted section of channel 25 welded to it and closing its upper end, and a pair of I-beain liftingopen end of'a pipe31 extended down through it, the upper part"of the pipe'beiiig bent. to project through the side of the upper portion of the plunger and connected to the interior of one end o a small, transverse cylinder 32 mounted on the nails and internally accommodating a slidable piston 33 fitted with a concave or cup-shaped, central, bearing surface 3; ooperating with the curved or rounded end of a connecting-rod 35 rockingly joined at 36 to the end of a crank arm 37 fixed on a square shaft 38 oscillatory in bearings '39, 39 mounted on one of the lifting bars.

. Obviously, oil under pressure entering the cylinder forces the piston along'and rocks the square shaft, the piston being equipped with a coiled spring 41 which automatically returns it to original position as soon as the pressureion the. oil is released.

An arm 42 is slidingly mounted on vshaft 38 and its free end has an oblique hook 43 more or less loosely hinged thereon, such-hook having a relatively-long handle 44`by which it may be easily manipulated by the operator.

The purpose of the angular disposition of the hook and its somewhat loose mounting is to permit the hook to enter between the steering-rod and axle of the automobile and then be brought in line over the front axle.

In order that the two plunger bearings may be slid out of the casing automatically upon the upward withdrawal therefrom of its plunger, the latter, at its lower end, is

equipped with a cross-bar 45 whose ends project beyond the cylindrical surface of the plunger, as shown in Figure 2, so that when the plunger is pulled upwardly out of the casing, such ends will engage the under side of the lower bearing and raise both of them, due to their interconnection, out of the casing, whereby the abnormal or withdrawal ascent of the plunger automatically displaces its bearings for removal at the same time.

To support the rear-axle housing of the automobile on the hoist, an appropriately` formed, skeleton frame 46 is made to reston the lower, inner fianges of the I-beam liftingbars.

Such frame may be welded, riveted or bolted in fixed position on the lifting-bars or it may be left free to slide thereon.

The operation of the apparatus so far described is practically as follows'z- Assuming that the plunger is in its lowermost position and that the lifting-bars are on or substantially on the floor or ground, the

automobile to be raised is driven astride the lifting-bars until its rear-axle housing is in register with the frame 46, or the latter is shifted along on the bars until it is in proper place beneath such housing.

Then the operator by means of handle 44 moves arm 42 and its hook along on shaft 38 until they are in correct position and then manipulates the hook until it is located above the front axle. l

lVhatever rocking of the shaft 38 may be required to effect this result is readily accomplished because the connecting-rod 35 is not directly, but rather loosely, associated with the hearing 34 of piston 33.

Thereupon, oil under substantial pressure is admitted into the casing throughn pipe 23 and valve 24, but, before the plunger begins to ascend, enough of such admitted oil flows through pipe 3l into cylinder 32 t0 cause its piston to slide therein suiiiciently to pull the hook 43 down firmly on to and in holding or clamping relation on the front axle of the automobile about to be lifted, which bearing it will maintain.

Continued inflow of oil causes the elevation of the plunger and its companion lifting-bars, the automobile beginning its ascent as soon as the bars contact with' the underside of the front axle and the `frame 46 engages the rear-axle housing.

So long as the load remains on the hoist,

- the oil below the plunger will be under pressure and that assures a similar liquid pr vsure in cylinder 32 maintaining its piston in outward position against the action of spring 4l, thus making positive the continued clamping of the vehicle, which prevents it from accidentally sliding or tipping off of the supporting hoist.

As soon as the lifting appliance has descended to its original position by the oil iowing out of the cylinder, and not until then, because of the retarded or restricted outflow of such oil through the valve, the piston 33 under the expanding action of its spring returns automaticall to its initial hook-releasing position, enabling the operator to withdraw the hook manually and allowing the vehicle to be driven off of the hoist.

It will be observed that this hoist is comparatively narrow and for that reason the clamping hook is ofespecial value in preventing the vehicle from toppling off of the appliance sidewise.

3y lifting the automobile in the manner specified, all four wheels are free to turn and hence their brakes can be conveniently .tested and adjusted.

Haring bars 53, 53, the center portions of the frames having apertures which receive the pair of lifting-bars, uprights 54, 54, preventing the frame as a whole from shifting sidewise of the hoist. v v

When this added frame 5l is applied or slid on to the hoist, as shown, the frame 46 may be removed, or left in place or moved along the lifting-bars out of the way, and

when the vehicle is driven astraddle the hoist, v the rear wheels roll on to the outstandmg frame bars 52 52 and are precluded from slipping off of them. by the retaining bars 53, 53.

The front axle having been clamped as above outlined, as the hoist ascends, the back part of the vehicle rises somewhat first because it is supported on the appliance by the rear wheels, but soon thereafter the liftingbars engage, and raise the front of the automobile through the front axle, the car as a vhtlile sloping downwardly, forward-ly a itt e.

The service work on the car having been completed, the hoist is lowered automatically releasing the clamping hook and allowing its manual detachment, and then the car may be driven off of the apparatus.

One embodiment only of the invention has been presented, but it is susceptible of a variety of commercial forms, and many modifications may be incorporated in the one set forth without deviation from the fundamental principles of the invention, as defined by the appended claims, and without the surrender of any of its material advantages.

The adjustment lengthwise of the hoist of the front axle clamp, the differential support, and the rear wheel extension member readily adapts the apparatus for convenient use with vehicles of varying lengths of wheel base, and whatever adjustments are needed can be easily made with dispatch and convenience.

I claim l 1. In a hoist, the combination of an upright cylinder, a plunger slidable in said cylinder, load lifting and lowering means carried by said plunger, means to admit an operating fluid into said cylinder and to permit its discharge therefrom to reciprocate said plunger, a guide-bearing supported in said cylinder for saidplunger, and means to remove said guide-bearing from said cylinder by the removal therefrom of said plunger.

2. In a hoist, the combination of an upright cylinder, a plunger slidable in said cylinder, load lifting and lowering means carried by said plunger, means to admit an operating iiuid into said cylinder and to permit its discharge therefrom to reciprocate said plunger, a plurality of guide-bearings supported n said cylinder for said plunger spaced apart vertically and connected together, and means to remove said guidebearings from said cylinder by the removal of said plunger therefrom;

3. In a vehicle-hoist, thefcombination of a support for the vehicle, means to raise and to lower said support, means to clampthe `vehicle to said support, and means actuated automatically substantially simultaneously with'the lowering means to work said vehicle clamp.

4. Ina vehicle-hoist, the combination of a support. narrower than the distance apart yof the front or rear 'wheels of the vehicle to :be elevated, means to raise Vand to lower said support, means to clamp the vehicle to said support, and means to render said'clamp .automatically active during the elevation and descent of said support and vehicle.

5. In a vehicle-hoist, the combination of a support for a vehicle, means to raise and to lower said support, means to clamp the ve.- hicle to said support, andmeans to render said clamp automatically active just prior to the institution of the support rise and to maintain said clamp active until the support has again returnedsubstantially to its lowermost position.

6. In a vehicle-hoist, the combination of an upright c linder, a plunger reciprocatory therein, a ve icle support on said plunger, a vehicle-clamp on said support, means to control the flow of operating fluid into and out of said cylinder to raise and to lower said plunger, support and vehicle thereon, and fluid-actuated means to operate said clamp governed automatically by the control of said cylinder fluid.

7 In a vehicle-hoist, the combination of an upright cylinder, a plunger reciprocatory' therein, a vehicle support on said plunger, a vehicle-clamp on said support, means to controlrthe flow of operating fluid into and out of said cylinder to raise and to lower said plunger, support and vehicle thereon, and a Huid-actuated means to operate said clamp connected to the interior of said cylinder to be governed by the fluid therein.

8. In a vehicle-hoist, the combination of a` i support, means to raise and to lower said support, means adjustable lengthwise said support adapted to engage and to lift the rear portion of an automobile, said support being designed to engage and lift the front axle of the automobile, and a vehicle-clamp on and adjustable lengthwise of said support and adapted to clamp the front axle ofthe vehicle.

9. In a vehicledioist, the combination of a support narrower than the distance between the two front or the two rear wheels of a vehicle, a frame on said support wide enough to support the two rear wheels of the vehicle, and means to raise and to lower said support, whereby the vehicle will be elevated through Contact of said rframe with its rear Wheels and of said support with its front axle.

10. In a vehicle-hoist, the combination of a 5 support narrower than the distance between the two front or the two rear Wheels ot' a vehicle, a frame on and adjustable lengthf wise ot said support wide enough t0 supportv the two rear wheels of the Vehicle, and means to raise and to lower said support, whereby the` vehiclelwill be elevated through Contact of said frame with its rear V'wheels and of said support with its front axle.

l1. In a vehicle-hoist, the combination of a support narrower than the distance hetween the two front wheels or the two rear wheels of a vehicle, a frame on and adjustable lengthwise of said support and wide enough-to `support the. two rear wheels of the vehicle, power means to raise and to lower said support` wherehythe Vehicle will he elevated in slightly tipped condition through Contact of said Jtrame with its rear wheels alifd of said support with its front axle, a clamp on said support for the front axle of the vehicle, and means to 0perate said clamp from Said power means. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand. u :so 'IRA A. VEAVER. 

